PARIS, June 25 (Xinhua) -- French President Francois Hollande and German Chancellor Angela Merkel spoke with Russian President Putin and Ukrainian President Poroshenko on telephone Wednesday, the Elysee said in a statement.

This call was made in the context of the political process during the meeting between the Russian and Ukrainian Presidents in Normandy on June 6, according to the statement.

Hollande and Merkel encouraged the Russian and Ukrainian Presidents to work together, the statement said.

The statement pointed out that Hollande and Merkel have noted some actions from the Russian authorities to de-escalate the situations in Eastern Ukraine after the announcement of a peace plan and a cease-fire by the Ukrainian President.

Hollande and Merkel support President Poroshenko to implement as quickly as possible the peace plan he has presented, the statement said.

MOSCOW, June 25 (Xinhua) -- Russia said Wednesday it would take protective measures in case future association agreements between former Soviet republics and the European Union (EU) negatively affect the trade within the Commonwealth of Independent States ( CIS).

"Once the future agreements by our CIS free trade zone partners with the EU come in force, and negatively affect the free trade zone, as well as conditions of the World Trade Organization (WTO), we'll definitely take protective measures," Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov was quoted by the Interfax news agency as saying. Full story

MOSCOW, June 25 (Xinhua) -- Russia spared no effort to search for a peaceful solution to Ukraine crisis, not to resort to military forces, chairwoman of the upper house of Russian parliament Valentina Matviyenko said Wednesday.

No one should expect the Federation Council, or the upper house of Russian parliament, to allow the use of Russian army forces in Ukraine again, the Itar-Tass news agency quoted the chairwoman as saying. Full story